A researcher at the University of Twente recently developed a software system that he believes can be used to completely eliminate all manual activities from the software testing process. His software package, called Model-Based Testing, not only executes the tests, but it develops them as well. This level of automation can save companies boatloads of time and money, because software testing in general accounts for more than 33% of the total cost to develop and bring to market any software program.

Model-Based Testing is said to automate the 3 primary steps in the software testing process: creating the tests, executing the tests, and measuring the results. The typical results are that the software can reduce the total time to market by at least 30%. It can also improve the overall accuracy of the testing effort. Thus, instead of a large-scale testing project taking months or years, the timeline can be substantially shortened which will reduce costs and boost profitability.

The developer of the software, Machiel van der Bijl, has launched his own company (www.axini.com/index_en.html) to sell the system. Although the new system is applicable to any industry, it is initially targeting companies in the financial and IT sectors. The software is also completely scalable, allowing an unlimited number of tests to be conducted simultaneously. Even millions of tests can be threaded through the system. I’m not sure what the system costs, but if it can deliver on its claims it should be worth the price tag.

The system shows real promise. By all accounts, Bijl is a well-respected expert, and based on a few case studies his software really seems to work. As long as this initial success can be sustained over the medium-to long-term, we could be looking at a potential game-changer. I will keep you updated here at UniversalExams.com as I learn more about this innovative software testing automation tool and methodology.